WWF - Climate Witness in Action

Climate Witness 2009 brochure

2009-10-07

Climate change is already affecting the lives of people everywhere.

Through Climate Witness, WW helps people around the world share their story of how climate change impacts their lives and wha they are doing to take action. All Climate Witness stories have had an independant scientifc review by members of the Climate Witness Science Advisory Panel who provide their time voluntarily.

Time is running out. We need political leaders to commit to an ambitious, fair and science-based deal. Climate action will be benefcial for the economy and the survival of nations and people.

Climate for Life

2009-06-25

Although being one of the countries in the world with least emissions, Nepal is one of the most vulnerable countries because of fragile ecosystems, poverty, slow economic growth and lack of resources for adaptation. For Nepal, climate change is not just an environmental phenomenon but also an economical, social and political issue.

Recognizing these factors, WWF Nepal initiated the Climate Change Program in August 2003 and later in 2006, alternative energy component was integrated in the program.

Read more about about the campaign at www.climate4life.org

Two SAP members release new publications

2009-04-03

The Climate Witness team are proud to announce that two scientists on the CW Science Advisory Panel have published new works.

Dr Barrie Pittock, a specialist in climate change and variability, the El Nino-Southern Oscillation, solar-weather relations, climate impacts and adaptation.

Climate Change: An Australian Guide to the Science and Potential Impacts, ed. Barrie Pittock
http://greenhouse.gov.au/science/guide/index.html

Climate Change: Science, Impacts and Solutions (2nd. edition), Barrie Pittock, in press, 2009
http://www.publish.csiro.au/pid/6010.htm.

Prof. Mark Nuttal, who specialises in anthropology of the Arctic and North Atlantic; human-environment relations, sustainability of living marine resources, climate change, locality, identity and memory.

http://www.lcoastpress.com/book.php?id=163

http://www.iwgia.org/sw29098.asp

An open letter to the Atlantis Dubai to release the captive whale shark

2009-02-09

This letter is addressed to the management and decision-makers of the Atlantis Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in a plea to release the whale shark being held in the aquarium since September 2008.
The Atlantis confirmed during an interview with the Business Breakfast on September 24th 2008 that they would release the whale shark in due course. We now urge the Atlantis Hotel to act upon its promise.

The whale shark, Rhincodon typus, is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and in Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS). It is listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as “Vulnerable” to extinction, with a decreasing population trend.

The whale shark is a pelagic species that feeds by filtering planktonic animals from the open waters in which it lives. Holding a whale shark in a highly constraining artificial environment, where it is unable to feed or swim long distances naturally, has been implicated in the early death of every whale shark known to have been held in captivity in other countries.

Whale sharks migrate extremely large distances each year and move regularly between surface and deep waters. This behavior is simply not possible in an aquarium, no matter how large the facility may be. This highly migratory nature combined with its low abundance make it particularly vulnerable to exploitation, as recognized through its inclusion in the Appendices to CMS and CITES.
Furthermore, the fact that the captive whale shark is a female increases the detriment to the wild population. Taking a potential breeder from the wild removes not only one whale shark from the population, but also the offspring she could produce in her natural environment.

We urge Atlantis to reconsider their rationale for keeping the whale shark and to release it back into its natural habitat as soon as possible. We would also like to suggest that the whale shark be fitted with a satellite tag before its release in order to improve scientific knowledge of the movements and behavior of this species, and hence benefit the global community of scientists, fisheries managers and the interested public. Keeping the whale shark at a hotel, which is not an educational or scientific institution, provides no benefits for the conservation of the wild population.

Regards,

Razan Al Mubarak
Managing Director
Emirates Wildlife Society-WWF

Moreover, the following has sigend the letter:

Emirates Wildlife Society- WWF
WWF International Global Species Program
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)
Emirates Environment Group (EEG)
Abu Dhabi Natural History Group

WWF’S EARTH HOUR SPARKS WORLDWIDE UNITY

2008-12-10

74 cities in 62 countries including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah and Sharjah in the UAE have committed to switch off for WWF’s Earth Hour in 2009. The campaign, which hopes to reach out to more than one billion people in 1,000 cities around the world, asks individuals, businesses and governments to switch off lights for just one hour on Saturday March 28 at 8:30pm to create a platform of support for action on climate change.
Earth Hour aims to demonstrate unprecedented solidarity and provide a visual global mandate that will put the heat on world leaders meeting in Copenhagen in December 2009 to strike a new global deal on climate change.
The lights out initiative, which began in Sydney in 2007 as a public awareness raising campaign, has grown significantly over the past two years and now has 74 cities ready to flick the switch in 2009.
At 8.30 pm on Saturday March 28, the world will witness some of the most recognisable landmarks on the planet dim the lights in support of decisive action on climate change. Icons switching off include Burj Al Arab and the world’s tallest hotel building – the Burj Dubai, the tallest free-standing structure in the Americas - the CN Tower in Toronto, Moscow’s Federation Tower and in Rome – Quirinale - the official residence of the President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano.
Auckland’s Sky Tower – the tallest tower in the Southern Hemisphere will go dark, joined by Australia’s iconic sails of the Sydney Opera House and across in Cape Town, South Africa, the iconic Table Mountain will mark Earth Hour by turning off its flood lights.
Director General of WWF International Jim Leape said, “When leaders gather in Copenhagen in December 2009 to negotiate a new deal on climate they must feel that the eyes of the world are upon them.”
“Earth Hour provides an opportunity for the public to send a powerful signal that they are watching and expect action,” said Mr Leape.
Executive Director of Earth Hour Global, Mr Andy Ridley said, “Recent events have shown that the world can unite in a time of crisis. The global economic crunch is an example where, when it matters, decisive multi-lateral action by powerful nations has been shown to be achievable.”
“Following its dramatic debut in Sydney in 2007, Earth Hour 2008 brought together more than 370 cities in 35 countries and an estimated 50 million people,” said Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Managing Director, EWS-WWF. “Earth Hour demonstrates that small actions on a mass scale can make a difference to global warming and reductions in energy consumption.
WWF UAE is pleased with the endorsement from Dubai Municipality and from the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) to help us make Earth Hour 2009 a successful and meaningful event. However, rather than limit our efforts to Dubai or Abu Dhabi, we want to encourage all UAE residents to make the United Arab Emirates the first country to observe Earth Hour in 2009.” More importantly, EWS-WWF aims to send a clear message that UAE residents must reduce their energy consumption beyond the sixty minutes of Earth Hour.
EWS-WWF is launching a campaign and websites in parallel to the official Earth Hour website for UAE residents and businesses to get information on how to reduce energy consumption and adopt a sustainable lifestyle.
We need everyone to get involved; residents, businesses, schools, universities, government, hotels, restaurants, in fact, anywhere where it is safe to turn off the lights for one hour,” added Al Mubarak.
Mr David Miller, Mayor of Toronto and chair of the C40 Large Cities Climate Leadership Group said, “The C40 Climate Leadership Group is about cities working together to drive down greenhouse gas emissions and that is why as Chair of the C40 I support Earth Hour. It's crucial that cities and the public come together to take action against climate change and Earth Hour provides a great platform to do that.”
Mr Ridley also said 2009 was the planet’s ‘destiny year’, with critical decisions needed to be made at the Copenhagen meeting on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“2009 is the year we decide the future of the earth. It is the year the world finally agrees on a plan to massively reduce carbon emissions across the globe. This is the time to invest in new ways of doing business in a new low carbon economy. We must all step over the line together. The sum of our actions today can change history and secure the future of our planet.”
The extensive WWF conservation network also has more than 30 teams working in countries such as Brazil, Greece, India, Peru, Spain, Switzerland and France, ready to support a local Earth Hour roll out.
To sign up for Earth Hour 2009, go to www.earthhour.org

World-famous skiers and snowboarders demand climate action in Poznan

2008-12-07

With snowy winters and ski resorts under threat from climate change, world-famous skiers and snowboarders are calling on governments attending the UN climate talks in Poznan to rapidly reduce global emissions. At a WWF action in Poznan, athletes performed a series of tricks expressing their support for urgent action against rising temperatures.

The skiers - including Olympic and world champions from the US like Ted Ligety and Julia Mancuso as well as world and European champions from Poland like Magdalena Gwizdoń and Tomasz Sikora – have signed onto an urgent appeal by WWF. It addresses Maciej Nowicki, the Polish Environment Minister and President of the Poznan talks, and other Poznan delegates.

“From the European Alps to the Asian Himalayas, the US Rockies and the Central American Andes, global warming means milder winters and less snowfall”, the petition said. “Ice and snow are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of global warming, and as avid skiers and snowboarders we see our beloved sports endangered.”

The signatories demand a new global climate treaty which is ambitious enough to keep global warming below the danger-threshold of 2°C. They urge a peak of global emissions well before 2020 and a reduction of 80% by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. As a crucial first step, they call on industrialized countries to cut their emissions by 25 to 40% by 2020.

“Skiers are first-hand witnesses of the destructive power of climate change, seeing glaciers retreat and snowpack disappear with their own eyes”, says Kim Carstensen, Leader of the WWF Global Climate Initiative. “These massive changes endanger important species and alpine ecosystems and threaten local communities depending on tourism and winter sports.”

According to science, glaciers in the European Alps have decreased by at least 50% since 1850. If climate change intensifies as projected in upcoming decades, the snowline will move from 1200 to 1800 meters above mean sea level, leaving only 44% of existing ski centers with enough snow for the whole season.

Nearly all glaciers surveyed in Alaska are melting, with thinning rates in the last 5 to 7 years rising to more than twice those seen in previous years. Glaciers in the Northern Andes are receding rapidly and losses accelerated in the 1990s. The majority of Himalayan glaciers have also been retreating and thinning over the past 30 years, with accelerated loss in the last and current decade.

The world must crack "The Climate Nut"

2008-12-01

Thousands of delegates streamed into the Poznan World Trade Center in Poland this morning for the opening day of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP14).

They were greeted by a blustery (zero degree) winter morning while cheerful WWF staff members handing out ‘climate nuts’ with a strong message that its time to crack the ongoing international negotiations.

Along with nuts, delegates were given the WWF Position Paper on COP14, which sets out clear points on how to reach a fair and ambitious treaty, setting a positive and optimistic tone for the long and difficult two weeks to come.

While inside the warm Trade Center, the buzz words changed from ‘climate nuts’ to ‘shared vision’, ‘global action’, ‘impacts of climate change on small states’, ‘rich countries need to act’ and ‘Obama’s climate solution to the financial crises’.

Donald Tusk, Poland’s Prime Minister, said that the financial crisis will come and go but climate change will last.

With the guiding Bali Roadmap agreed this time last year, and only 12 months to go until Copenhagen in Dec 2009, the mandate for negotiators at Poznan is to develop a concrete proposal for the new global climate deal.

Environment Workshop to benefit over 22,500 students’

2008-11-20

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 21th November 2008: Over 60 teachers responsible for over 22,500 students from throughout public and private schools in Dubai have attended an expert ‘online’ workshop hosted by Dubai Municipality with the ultimate aim of helping improve student’s knowledge and appreciation of the UAE environment via a new online teaching resource.

Organized in conjunction with the Emirates Wildlife Society in association with WWF, the workshop series has been designed to maximise the benefits of an online version of the Enviro-spellathon programme which was launched to schools in October this year.

The new programme which is sponsored by Emirates Foundation, Aldar and Géant/Le Marché, has been receiving excellent reviews from those schools that have already made the switch from a paper based resource to a digital format, with over 22,500 students already registered from across 60 schools in Dubai with more registrations coming in.

But as Rashmi De Roy, Education Manager at EWS-WWF and workshop coordinator, explained it’s been a worthwhile experience and learning curve for all involved in the workshops which are taking place across the UAE;

“Since the Interactive Enviro-Spellathon programme is a first of its kind for the region, an up-skilling process has been required to help teachers bring environmental issues to life in the classroom.”

“Considering the uptake by schools to date as well as the enthusiasm and numbers in attendance at the workshops, it is obvious local teachers are keen to learn for themselves how to implement all aspects of the Interactive Enviro-spellathon. It is a new concept for teaching young people about the UAE environment, but it’s noteworthy that most teachers are already very accomplished when it comes to using high-tech online methods. All has been created with ease of use paramount, as we want to make teaching about the environment and testing students as effective and simple as possible.

“The workshops are also giving us some very valuable feedback and recommendations from the people we need it from most, the teachers who are responsible for implementing the new programme. But the vast majority of teachers have been very complimentary of the new format.

Eng. Hamdan Al Shaer, Director of Environment Department, Dubai Municipality highlighted;

“Programmes such as the ‘Interactive Enviro-Spellathon’ will only succeed with the appetite and willingness of teachers to learn and adapt with changing times in education. So often it is the younger generations who have an awareness and appreciation of the latest technology. But improved learning and experiences will only result with teacher support and know-how. I’d like to commend all those involved in the workshops, as I’ve no doubt that it will have a hugely beneficial impact on the level of attainment and enjoyment in the classroom when learning about vital environmental issues.”

“Seeing programmes such as Enviro-Spellathon move successfully from paper-based to digital is a perfect example of how Dubai Municipality is working tirelessly to adopt the latest teaching practices to ensure our children are provided with the best opportunities to learn and build knowledge.”

Rashmi continued;

“The CD Rom and online programme available at www.envirospellathon.com was developed by EWS-WWF with financial support from our sponsors to provide students with knowledge of the UAE’s environment – its distinctive biodiversity that needs to be cared for and protected. Now the online platform has been launched with teachers trained in implementing the programme we expect to reach over 150,000 students in at least 300 schools across five emirates in this academic year.

EWS-WWF takes Jumeirah English Speaking School students on educational field trip

2008-11-09

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 5th November 2008, - Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS) - WWF has helped raise the awareness of the Wadi Wurayah region by taking 88 students from Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS) to the scenic mountainous area located in Fujairah on an educational visit.

Organised by EWS-WWF to give students a personal experience of the unique wildlife and species that inhabit the region, the memorable trip involved Grade 5 students as well as staff and volunteers from project sponsors HSBC who explored the natural beauty of the wadi together.

“We are absolutely delighted that HSBC and JESS are so actively involved in Wadi Wurayah’s conservation campaign and there is no better means of explaining it’s importance than gaining ‘literally’ hands-on experience for yourself,” explained Razan Al Mubarak, Managing Director of EWS–WWF.
The educational visit followed as a result of the generous donation made by the students of JESS in May 2008 at the completion of a fundraising campaign which focused upon the benefits of recycling and environmental conservation.
Razan continued;

“The funds raised by the students have been put to great use in enabling us to purchase camera traps that have been installed in Wadi Wurayah. So far the cameras have trapped a blancford fox but EWS-WWF hope to see the rare Arabian Leopard or the Arabian Tahr as evidence suggests they still exist in the area.

Whilst on the trip JESS students and HSBC volunteers gained a valuable insight into the freshwater eco-systems and the biodiversity of the region by participating in a wide range of group activities, including; learning how to survey wildlife in the mountains and wadis, studying wadi fish population, identified invertebrate species, and conducted quantitative surveys of Arabian Toads.

“In simple terms Wadi Wurayah is in need of protection especially since it is home to endangered species like the Arabian Tahr and Arabian Leopard. But I’m confident this trip will have inspired young minds since all involved have witnessed the unique plants and wildlife depending on this area, as well as the important and lasting impact their fundraising efforts are having on the wadi. Hopefully, we will see continuous and increased support thanks to a greater understanding of the environmental issues associated with the wadi and the region. It really has been an invigorating experience for all concerned. Kaltham Al Koheji, Chairperson of HSBC in the Community Middle East Foundation reflected;
“We truly value the importance of this awareness raising programme to educate youngsters on the need to protect our natural environment. This is the third year of partnership with EWS-WWF for the Wadi Wurayah project, our staff and volunteers are as enthusiastic as ever, demonstrating our commitment to sustainable living and protecting the environment.”

UAE Supports Greater Efforts to Reduce Ecological Impact on Earth

2008-11-01

29 October 2008: The Living Planet Report 2008 issued today by WWF, in conjunction with the Global Footprint Network and the Zoological Society of London, has once again raised concerns about the health of
our planet, suggesting that the world is facing a ‘global ecological credit crunch’.

James Leape, Director General, WWF International, in an international media release, speaks of the current financial crisis being a stark reminder of consequences of living beyond our means. “What is now rushing at all human society is an ecological credit crunch caused by under-valuing the environmental assets that are the basis of all life and prosperity.”

The report shows that 10 nations were demanding half of the planet’s resources in 2005 with the United States of America and China accounting for the consumption of 42 per cent of the planet’s natural resources. While the UAE’s per capita Footprint was found to be 9.5 gha its overall demand on global resources in 2005 was less than half of one percent.

Responding to the release of the Living Planet Report 2008, H.E. Dr. Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water said; “In essence, mankind is consuming natural resources faster than planet earth can produce them. “If nations continue dipping into ‘reserves’ of natural resources, within time, they may ‘bankrupt’ the earth of its capacity to provide us resources and services that are the basis of our wellbeing” he said.

“Over the last year we have begun to better understand the UAE’s Ecological Footprint through the Al Basama Al Beeiya initiative. Our position is to continue to work with government bodies, private sector,
non-government entities and individuals to actively support sustainability initiatives.” said H.E. Dr. Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad. “The country is taking steps in the right direction, through initiatives like Masdar, development of green building codes, public transport, development of zero gas flaring and carbon capture and storage by ADNOC and Masdar, and environmental education and awareness campaigns. Reducing our footprint will not only depend on the effective implementation of these initiatives but will also require
additional actions. This will require time and a coordinated effort.”

The Living Planet Report 2008 has benefited from the participation of the UAE in its effort to understand and measure its own Ecological Footprint. The launch of the Al Basama Al Beeiya (Ecological Footprint) Initiative in 2007 made UAE the third country in the world to undertake in-depth research on its Footprint.

“Through the Al Basama Al Beeiya (Ecological Footprint) Initiative, data on UAE population and carbon footprint for the 2008 report was reviewed. Thanks to this Initiative, we were able to provide a more comprehensive and accurate representation of the UAE's Footprint," said H.E. Majid Al Mansouri, Secretary General, Environment Agency Abu Dhabi. Al Mansouri went on to stress the need for continued efforts to ensure strong reliable data in order to develop and measure the effectiveness of policies.

“It is important we understand the results of the 2008 Living Planet Report in the context of the country we live in. Rapid economic growth and affluent lifestyles in an arid climate has given rise to greater consumption of energy and natural resources. We look forward to addressing the challenge of delivering a high standard of living that places a lower pressure on the planet.”.
” The Emirates Wildlife Society in association with WWF, highlighted that participation of a non-governmental organisation in this initiative is very welcome.

“The Ecological Footprint serves as a clear sustainability metric, highlighting the need to address our impact on reserves of natural resources. The majority of the UAE’s Footprint relates carbon emissions
from fossil fuel use. To address this, all actors within the UAE needs to work together to increase awareness of ecological limits and develop policy recommendations to: reduce demand for energy and improve efficiency; diversify energy supply with low carbon sources; and sustainable transport.” said Razan Al Mubarak, Managing Director, EWSWWF.

The four core partners in the Al Basama Al Beeiya initiative are the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW), the Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI), the Emirates Wildlife Society -
World Wide Fund for Nature (EWS-WWF) and Global Footprint Network (GFN), an international non-profit organization that promotes the Ecological Footprint as a sustainability metric worldwide.

Living Planet analysis shows looming ecological credit crunch

2008-11-01

The world is heading for an ecological credit crunch as human demands on the world's natural
capital reach nearly a third more than earth can sustain.

That is the stark warning contained in the latest edition of WWF’s Living Planet Report, the leading
statement of the planet’s health. In addition global natural wealth and diversity continues to decline,
and more and more countries are slipping into a state of permanent or seasonal water stress.
“The world is currently struggling with the consequences of over-valuing its financial assets,” said
WWF International Director-General James Leape, “but a more fundamental crisis looms ahead -- an ecological credit crunch caused by under-valuing the environmental assets that are the basis of all life and prosperity.”

The report, produced with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the Global Footprint Network (GFN), shows more than three quarters of the world’s people now living in nations that are ecological debtors, where national consumption has outstripped their country’s biological capacity. “Most of us are propping up our current lifestyles, and our economic growth, by drawing - and increasingly overdrawing - on the ecological capital of other parts of the world,” Mr Leape said.

“If our demands on the planet continue to increase at the same rate, by the mid-2030s we would need the equivalent of two planets to maintain our lifestyles.” The report, published every two years, has since 1998 become widely accepted as an statement of earth's ability to remain a “living planet”. In 2008, it adds for the first time new measures of global, national and individual water footprint to existing measures of the Ecological Footprint of human demand on natural resources and the Living Planet Index, a measure of the state of nature.

The Living Planet Index, compiled by ZSL, shows a nearly 30 per cent decline since 1970 in nearly 5000 measured populations of 1,686 species. These dramatic losses in our natural wealth are being driven by deforestation and land conversion in the tropics (50% decline in Tropical LPI) and the impact of dams, diversions and climate change on freshwater species (35% decline). Pollution, overfishing and destructive fishing in marine and coastal environments is also taking a considerable toll.

“We are acting ecologically in the same way as financial institutions have been behaving economically - seeking immediate gratification without due regard for the consequences,” said ZSL co-editor Jonathan Loh. “The consequences of a global ecological crisis are even graver than the current economic meltdown.”
Carbon emissions from fossil fuel use and land disturbance are the greatest component of humanity’s footprint, underlining the key threat of climate change.

The ecological footprint analysis, produced by GFN, shows that while global biocapacity – the area available to produce our resources and capture our emissions – is 2.1 average or “global” hectares per person, the per person footprint is 2.7 global ha. “Continued ecological deficit spending will have severe economic consequences,” said GFN Executive Director Dr Mathis Wackernagel. “Resource limitations and ecosystem collapses would trigger massive stagflation with the value of investments plummeting, while food and energy costs skyrocket.”

The USA and China have the largest national footprints, each in total about 21 per cent of global biocapacity, but US citizens each require an average of 9.4 global ha (or nearly 4.5 Planet Earths if the global population had US consumption patterns) while Chinese citizens use on average 2.1 global ha per person (one Planet Earth).

Biocapacity is unevenly distributed, with eight nations – the United States, Brazil, Russia, China, India, Canada, Argentina and Australia - containing more than half the world total. Population and consumption patterns make three of these countries ecological debtors, with footprints greater than their national capacity - the United States (footprint 1.8 times national biocapacity), China (2.3 times) and India ( 2.2 times).

This can be contrasted with the Congo with the seventh highest per person biocapacity of 13.9 global ha per person and an average footprint of just 0.5 global ha per person – but facing a future of degrading biocapacity from deforestation and increased demands from a rising population and export pressures.

The new water footprint measures show up the significance of water traded in the form of commodities with, for example, a cotton T-shirt requiring 2,900 litres of water in its production. On average, each person consumes 1.24 million litres (about half an Olympic swimming pool) of water a year, but this varies from 2.48 million litres per person a year (USA) to 619,000 litres per capita annually (Yemen).

“Around 50 countries are currently facing moderate or severe water stress and the number of people suffering from year-round or seasonal water shortages is expected to increase as a result of climate
change,” the report finds. “These Living Planet measures serve as clear and robust signposts to what needs to be done,” said Mr Leape. “It is our hope that in years to come we will be reporting increases in the Living Planet Index, an ecological footprint coming down in shoe sizes and water becoming more rather than less available in more places.”

The report suggests some key “sustainability wedges” which if combined could stabilise and reverse the worsening slide into ecological debt and enduring damage to global support systems. For the single most important challenge – climate change – the report shows that a range of efficiency, renewable and low emissions “wedges” could meet projected energy demands to 2050 with reductions in carbon emissions of 60 to 80 per cent.

“If humanity has the will, it has the ways to live within the means of the planet, but we must recognize that the ecological credit crunch will require even bolder action than that now being mustered for the financial crisis” Mr Leape said.

Whale Shark at hotel in Dubai

2008-10-09

There has been a great deal of media and public interest on the issue of the whale shark captured and now residing at Atlantis, Palm Dubai. EWS-WWF wishes to clarify the status of the species and make a plea for the release of the whale shark.

Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are listed in appendix two of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). CITES is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Species being listed in CITES Appendix II, are species that are not necessarily now threatened with extinction but may become so unless trade is closely controlled.

Moreover, the whale shark is on the IUCN red list of threatened species (please see http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/19488). Here it is listed as vulnerable; indicating that the whale shark is a threatened species.

The whale shark is a plankton feeder and is the largest fish in the world: a whale shark can grow to 20 metres in length and reach 34 tonnes in weight. Whale sharks may live up to 100 years in the wild and are highly migratory, traversing thousands of kilometres to different feeding grounds, encompassing the waters of several countries. This makes regulation at the national level limited in its conservation impact, emphasizing the need for international co-operation in the protection and sustainable management of this species. However, national regulations are encouraged until international co-operation and enforcement is in place.

Holding a whale shark in an artificial environment where it is unable to feed in its natural patterns and has a limited area in which to move, can have fatal consequences as has previously been the case with captive whale sharks in other countries.

According to earlier statements by Atlantis, Dubai, the whale shark was taken from the sea for medical care and observation and would be released. EWS-WWF recommends the management of Atlantis consider their rationale for keeping the whale shark longer than is necessary for its 'recovery' and release it back into its natural habitat without delay. Keeping the whale shark at Atlantis, not being and educatinal or scientific institution, does not increases the potential for conservation of the wild population;

Ghana and climate change

2008-08-20

Watch a short slideshow (01:48 mins) about the people living in the Nandom Traditional Area in northwest Ghana who rely heavily on what they can grow on their land. In recent years many people struggle to harvest enough food in a climate where rainfall has become unpredictable. (All images courtesy: Kees van der Geest)

Ghana itself is experiencing the effects of climate change as a shift in rainfall patterns in recent years has made life very difficult for communities that rely heavily on subsistence farming for their survival. Read the Climate Witness testimony of Augustine Yelfaanibe.

The next round of UN climate change talks are now taking place in Accra, Ghana. WWF are hoping that these talks will signal a positive shift in climate negotations as more and more nations start to recognise the shift in public opinion and the growing thirst for real action from our leaders. More on what WWF would like to see from the talks in Accra.

NASA: warmer Indian Ocean linked to drought in East Africa

2008-08-10

The findings of a recent NASA study that connects the decline of rainfall in East Africa with warmer sea temperatures in the Indian Ocean are consistent with the experiences described by Climate Witnesses in the region.

Rainfall in the region has decreased by around 15 percent since the early 1980s according to the study.

Excerpts from the NASA article:

"The last 10 to 15 years have seen particularly dangerous declines in rainfall in sensitive ecosystems in East Africa, such as Somalia and eastern Ethiopia," said Molly Brown of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., a co-author of the study. "We wanted to know if the trend would continue or if it would start getting wetter."

To find out, the team analyzed historical seasonal rainfall data over the Indian Ocean and the eastern seaboard of Africa from 1950 to 2005. The NASA Global Precipitation Climatology Project's rainfall dataset provided a series of data covering both the land and the oceans. They found that declines in rainfall in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe were linked to increases in rainfall over the ocean."

Climate Witnesses in Eastern African countries Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania have described the impact that declining rainfall has had on their region.

"Continuing along a "business as usual" scenario -- with current trends in declining rainfall and agricultural capacity continuing as it is currently to 2030, the team found that the number of undernourished people will increase by more than 50 percent in eastern Africa.

WWF's East Africa Regional Programme Office is working with farmers and other affected groups in the region to help them adapt to the changes. Globally, WWF is working with governments and other organisations to come up with a new global deal that will adequately address the climate change threat.

Bin Fahad chairs Al Basama Al Beeiya’s third steering committee meeting

2008-07-22

Abu Dhabi, 21 July 2008: UAE's Minister of Environment and Water, H.E Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad chaired the third meeting of the Al Basama Al Beeiya (Ecological Footprint) steering committee that was held at the Federal Environmental Agency in Abu Dhabi last week.

At the meeting, the Minister reviewed the progress of the Al Basama Al Beeiya and thanked the members of the committee for their cooperation and support in helping the Initiative achieve its data gathering objectives for the first phase of the project.

Members of the Initiative’s research team presented the components involved in calculating the carbon Footprint - which comprises 76% of the overall Ecological Footprint of the UAE - to the Steering Committee.

The research team clarified; “The carbon Footprint, contrary to common perception, is not just a calculation of the nation’s consumption of oil and gas, nor is it an indicator of pollution levels. Rather, the carbon Footprint equates the area of forest required to absorb the carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by different sectors and the CO2 which is embodied in the trade of everyday products that we use.”

To calculate the carbon Footprint, the research team further explained more than 1200 data points are required in the following areas:

CO2 emissions from all sectors including transport, construction, oil & gas production, manufacturing and heavy industries
Trade quantities (imports & exports) of over 600 products such as food, metals, clothing, paper, oil, gas and machinery.
Embodied Energy Coefficients. The research team explained that all products have an effect on the environment and consume energy in their making. The energy required to make a product, be it a barrel of oil or building material, is called ‘embodied energy’.

“Active contribution from multiple stakeholders is crucial in ensuring the data sought by the Al Basama Al Beeiya is complete in all respects,” said H.E. “It is only with the cooperation of all the environmental authorities in the country as well as the active support of the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Interior, the Federal Customs Authority and the Supreme Petroleum Council represented on the Steering Committee can we progress in the better understanding of our nation’s Ecological Footprint and the processes of data collection. I thank every member and their respective organization for contributing to this federal project that I have no doubt will present many learning opportunities beyond that of the Footprint.”

The Al Basama Al Beeiya was launched on October 18 2007 as a historic national effort to measure and understand the country’s Ecological Footprint and develop important guidelines for a more resource-conscious and resource-efficient government and society.

The four core Al Basama Al Beeiya partners are: UAE Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW), the Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI), the Emirates Wildlife Society – World Wide Fund for Nature (EWS-WWF) and the Global Footprint Network (GFN).

Climate Witnesses send a message to G8 leaders

2008-07-07

G8 leaders are now meeting in Hokkaido, Japan, and WWF Climate Witnesses have urged them to take strong leadership on climate change. You can download copies of the letters here.

Japan also officially launched its Climate Witness project with 2 new Witnesses as well as a report on climate change impacts in Japan. The 2 new Climate Witnesses from Japan Asami Tetsuo, an ice carver and Dr Shinzo Waku, a medical doctor both tell very different stories of how climate change is impacting them and their communities.

WWF has also published scorecards that rate each of the G8 countries (US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Russia) on their climate performance. The research also includes an analysis of the 5 emerging economies (Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa). You can download the publication here.

- Nigel Allan

Extreme weather linked to climate change

2008-06-20

Millions of people throughout North America, the Caribbean and Pacific are witnesses to extreme weather events that are increasing in frequency and severity as a result of climate change.

A new report, Weather and Climate Extremes in a Changing Climate, issued by the US Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) is the first to specifically assess observed and projected changes in weather and climate extremes for North America. It states that the greatest impacts of climate change on society and wildlife will be experienced through changes in extreme weather events as global temperatures increase.

These extreme weather events include floods, hurricanes, and droughts.

Dr Richard Moss, WWF-US’s vice president for climate change, who previously headed up the CCSP coordination office under both the Clinton and Bush administrations, said today’s report illustrates the US’s economic vulnerability to climate change and reinforces the need to implement a national preparedness strategy.

The US Midwest is currently experiencing devastating flooding which has severely affected corn crops and other agricultural production and put further pressure on global food distribution.

Moss said: “To fully grasp the ramifications of the surge in extreme droughts and floods that are forecast in this report, one need only look at the widespread devastation across the Midwest. Levees are being breached, tens of thousands of residents have been displaced, and President Bush is asking the US Congress for $US 1.8 billion in emergency aid to help the region recover – that is roughly the entire annual federal budget for climate change research programs. Simply put, climate change is a problem we cannot afford to ignore.”

Claire Carlton, manager of WWF’s Climate Witness Programme, said: “As the floods in the Midwest demonstrate these events can have far reaching effects because of our global interdependence. The impact of drought on Australian wheat and rice crops is already affecting millions of people in need of food and the floods in the US will only make things worse.

“We will continue to document the impacts of climate change on people and communities around the world and remind governments that if left unchecked climate change will continue to destroy lives and increasingly strain our global economy.”

Moss added: “As this report shows, climate change is directly affecting each and every one of us and threatens significant physical and economic harm. While no single storm can be directly attributed to climate change, the scientific evidence clearly shows that as the climate warms, extreme weather events will become more intense and more frequent.

Nigel Allan
Communications Manager
WWF Climate Witness Programme

Bogotá apagará las luces por una hora

2008-03-29

Bogotá, Colombia. Hoy, entre las 8 y las 9 de la noche, se apagarán las luces de tres lugares insignes de la capital colombiana: la Plaza de Bolívar, el Edificio Liévano (sede de la Alcaldía) y el Centro Administrativo Distrital (CAD). De esta manera, la capital colombiana se convierte en una de las primeras ciudades latinoamericanas que se une a la iniciativa, tal como ya lo hicieron más de veinte grandes ciudades en todo el mundo.

"A través de la Secretaría Distrital de Ambiente queremos convocar a toda la ciudadanía para que este 29 de marzo apaguen por una hora las luces o cualquier otro aparato eléctrico o electrónico que impliquen un consumo innecesario", dijo el Secretario Distrital de Ambiente, Juan Antonio Nieto Escalante.

Adicionalmente, Publik Informadores, la Asociación de Corporaciones Autónomas Regionales y de Desarrollo Sostenible (Asocars) y la Policía Nacional se unieron al llamado mundial sobre la responsabilidad de las personas e instituciones frente a la amenaza del cambio climático. Desde hace varios días Publik Informadores está anunciando la iniciativa en sus nueve pantallas Espectacolor en Bogotá, Cali y Medellín; y, Asocars está divulgándola tanto en su red interna como en su sitio web (www.asocars.org.co) para que sus miembros participen.

“Nos vinculamos a esta campaña tan importante y convocamos a todos los miembros de la Policía Nacional a que también lo hagan, motivamos a la comunidad en general, a entidades del sector público y privado a que también se unan a este gesto simbólico a favor de la conservación de nuestro Planeta”, expresó María Antonia Sánchez Forero, jefe del Área de Policía Ambiental y Ecológica.

Además, se han inscrito en el sitio web oficial de la campaña (www.earthhour.org) diez organizaciones colombianas: Aborigen (Armenia), Agrotour (Montería), la Asociación Colombiana de Agroproductores Ambientalistas, la Fundación Colombiana para la Naturaleza, la Fundación para la Conservación y el Desarrollo Sostenible del Trópico, la Fundación Siembra Colombia, Kurama Escuela Reiki, La Salle Collage, de Bogotá D.C.; el Colegio Santa Ana (Soacha) y C.I. Flores Los Sauces (Rionegro).

Notas para el editor

1. En marzo de 2007, se realizó la primera versión de La Hora del Planeta (Earth Hour), en Sydney, (Australia), ciudad en donde el 97% de la población estaba enterada de la campaña y se contó con el apoyo de las actrices Cate Blanchett y Nicole Kidman. En esa ocasión, participaron dos millones de personas y 2.000 empresas, logrando así una disminución de 10.2% en uso de energía. En la versión 2008 en Australia se unirán a La Hora del Planeta ciudades como Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth y Brisbane; en Dinamarca, Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg, Odense. Además, se unirán de Filipinas, Christchurch y su capital Manila; y de Fiji, Suva. También contará con la participación de Dublín (Irlanda), Tel Avid (Israel) y, Bangkok (Tailandia). Recientemente se unieron Chicago y otras tres ciudades de Estados Unidos: Atlanta, San Francisco y Phoenix. Canadá también se sumó a respaldar la campaña con Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal y Vancouver.

2. WWF se ha aliado con muchas organizaciones y compañías internacionales a nivel local y mundial. Incluso, celebridades como Cate Blanchett, Hugh Jackman y Nelly Furtado están interesadas en ser embajadores de La Hora del Planeta.

3. Desde 1990 se han registrado las temperaturas más altas, siendo el año 2006 el más caliente de la historia. El hielo del mar Ártico ha declinado a los niveles más bajos registrados hasta el momento. Incluso, varios estudios demuestran que dos terceras partes de la población de osos polares desaparecerán para el 2050.

4. WWF y el cambio climático. WWF trabaja para detener el cambio climático, contribuyendo con datos científicos de alta confiabilidad; apoyando políticas para reducir emisiones de bióxido de carbono; y movilizando a empresas para encontrar soluciones nuevas e innovadoras. Con un equipo de expertos que trabajan en más de 50 países, concentramos nuestros esfuerzos en cuatro áreas:

Relacionándose con empresas. WWF está trabajando con 12 de las empresas más grandes del mundo, a fin de que se comprometan a reducir sus emisiones de carbono en 10 millones de toneladas al año o más.
Protegiendo bosques que ayudan a mitigar el cambio climático. La deforestación contribuye con el 20% de todas las emisiones de bióxido de carbono a nivel global.
Implementando planes de adaptación para las comunidades que están en alto riesgo. Ayudándoles a prepararse para mitigar los impactos del cambio climático.
Promoviendo políticas responsables. WWF está avocando por la creación de políticas nacionales e internacionales para incrementar el uso de fuentes de energías renovables, por la implementación de tecnologías eficientes y por frenar la polución de bióxido de carbono. Para ampliar esta información, visite http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/climate_change/index.cfm

5. ¿Qué puede hacer cada persona para ayudar a frenar el cambio climático?

Cambiar a focos compactos de luz fluorescente para ahorrar dinero y reducir emisiones. La iluminación de una casa contribuye con 5% de emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero y los focos de luz fluorescente usan un 75% menos de energía que los focos incandescentes. Aun cuando los fluorescentes son más caros, tienen una vida más extensa y ahorran energía, por lo que al largo plazo, hay un ahorro significativo.
Apagar aparatos electrodomésticos. Apagar televisores, computadoras, luces, etc. que no estén en uso y desconectar aparatos que están en stand-by, como cargadores de celulares.
Cambiar a energías verdes. Buscar alternativas de generación de energía para su hogar y/o empresa.
Usar menos agua caliente. Ahorrar agua y electricidad, por ejemplo, reduciendo el tiempo dentro de la regadera, por lo menos por un minuto.

6. ¿En qué consiste el cambio climático? El aumento indiscriminado de los gases provenientes de la combustión de petróleo, carbón, y madera, producidos en la industria, el transporte y en la generación de energía eléctrica, entre otras, ha desatado un fenómeno conocido como efecto de invernadero. Estos gases se acumulan en la atmósfera impidiendo que el calor de los rayos solares que entran a la Tierra, salga al espacio, generando así lo que se conoce como el calentamiento global. La temperatura del Planeta se ha incrementado desde finales del siglo XIX entre 0.3 y 0.6°C. Ahora, algunos estudios científicos estiman que la temperatura global de la superficie terrestre puede aumentar entre 0.6 y 2.5°C en los próximos cincuenta años. Cambios de este tipo han tenido consecuencias en los ciclos usuales del clima, manifestados en huracanes, inundaciones, sequías y en las alteraciones de las corrientes marinas en diferentes zonas del mundo.

7. Así mismo, cada vez se pierden más ecosistemas y especies que sólo pueden sobrevivir gracias a unas condiciones ambientales específicas que hoy se han alterado.

8. WWF Colombia es una organización conservacionista de carácter mundial que inició sus labores en Colombia desde 1964. Su misión es detener la degradación del ambiente natural del planeta y construir un futuro en el cual los humanos convivan en armonía con la naturaleza:

conservando la diversidad biológica del mundo,
asegurando que el uso de los recursos naturales renovables sea sostenible, y
promoviendo la reducción de la contaminación y del consumo desmedido.

Para mayor información:

Carmen Ana Dereix R.
Coordinadora de la Campaña en Colombia
WWF Colombia
TEL: +57-2-5582577 ext. 218
cadereix@wwf.org.co

María Ximena Galeano M.
Oficial de Prensa
WWF Colombia
TEL: +57-2-5582577 ext. 217
mxgaleano@wwf.org.co